New 'Pokémon GO' Video Reveals Meltan's Evolution And How To Get It

Leave it to mon to make a splotch of silver goo with a hex nut on top actually sort of cute. But here I am, smiling gently watching these bizzare little things play in Professor Oak's kitchen. Regardless, Meltan is the newest Pokémon in the franchise, and it's being introduced in Pokémon GO, Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu and Pokémon Let's Go Eevee. The Pokémon Company just released an adorable little video of the things that you can watch below

In addition, we also got some details about how you'll actually go about unlocking it in game. Apparently, sending Pokémon from Pokémon GO to Let's Go Eevee and Pikachu will get you some in-game items. The first time you do it, however, you'll get a "mystery box" that will cause Meltan to start spawning in Pokémon GO, after which you can catch it and then transfer it back to Let's Go if you want. It sounds a little complicated, but the upshot is this: transfer a Pokémon from GO to Let's Go, get a chance to catch Meltan in GO.

You'll also be able to get the mystery box by sending a Pokémon to a friend's game, meaning that you don't necessarily need the console to get Meltan. I'll start carrying my Switch around, hoping to raise my status among the local Pokémonnists. The press release also mentions new special research, which is usually how we go about getting mythic Pokémon. From that, it sounds like Meltan will have a kind of timed exclusivity for Nintendo Switch owners and their friends.

This thing is going to sell a ton of Switches regardless, and it so far sounds well-executed on the part of both Game Freak and Niantic. The fact that we have some leeway here means that people can't quite complain about Meltan being a $300 Pokémon, because there will eventually be special research. Still, a lot of the Pokémon GO players I know are older professionals or semi-retired people, and many have a bit of extra income to burn and no real qualms about spending it on Pokémon GO. They're the sort that might not otherwise buy a Switch, but could easily be nudged in the right direction by something like this. Any sort of exclusive loot in a game like this is tricky business, but from what I see so far, this seems like it will keep people happy.

That's not all, however. The end of the above video shows a bunch of Meltan gathering before cutting away. When it comes back, we see only the shadow of what appears to be Meltan's evolution, which you can see here:

MeltanCredit: The Pokemon Company

Not much to go on there, but this does make it seem like Let's Go will add not one but two new Pokémon, because we generally count evolutions as separate Pokémon. We'll know more soon.

I'm a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, The New Republic, IGN.com, Wired and more. I cover social games, video games, technology and that whole gray area that happens when technology and consumers collide. Google...